The invention relates to an apparatus for hooping a package, that includes a conveyor which conveys the package in a conveying direction into a hooping position. A band is positionable into an end position in which the band is applied against the package and tensioned and forms a band loop defining a hooping plane extending in the conveying direction. A band guide channel is provided which forms a substantially rectangular frame surrounds the package when the package is in the hooping position. The band guide channel receives the band and forms the band into a loop shape. The rectangular frame defines a frame plane that intersects the hooping plane at an acute angle along an intersection line located at a right angle to the conveying direction. A band binding head is positioned adjacent to the rectangular frame. This relates to a longitudinal hooping apparatus in which the hooping plane extends in the conveying direction and a plane, frame-like band guide channel is provided, the plane of whose frame obliquely intersects the hooping plane and which has dimensions such that the package can be conveyed through it.
An apparatus of this kind is known from German Offenlegungsschrift 42 37 787, FIG. 3 The apparatus described has a conveyor in which the conveying plane is horizontal. Accordingly, two portions of the band guide channel which lie opposite one another lie at right angles to the conveying plane on two sides of the hooping plane, while the other two portions of the band guide channel pass obliquely through the hooping plane respectively above and below the conveying plane. A binding head is installed in that portion of the band guide channel which is horizontal and situated beneath the conveying plane. It could also be called a tensioning and closure head or the like. The binding head effects the insertion of the band into the band guide channel, and also the pulling-back, tensioning, joining and separation of the band. This binding head is pivotable as a complete unit about an axis which is at the same time the line of intersection of the hooping plane with the frame plane bounded by the band guide channel. The pivoting drive is so designed that the binding head is situated in the frame plane on the insertion of the band (the path of the band lies in the frame plane as it passes through the binding head), and that, after the package has reached the hooping position, the head pivots into the hooping plane. At least the last phase of the pulling-back process and possibly of the tensioning process, as well as the joining and separation of the band, take place in this position.
It has however been found that the entire binding head constitutes a relatively large inertial mass and that it is not possible to carry out the pivoting processes sufficiently quickly to enable working speeds such as are demanded at the present time to be achieved. Furthermore, a pivotable binding head entails considerable design problems. The space available beneath the conveying plane is very restricted and the movable parts and the drive are subjected to very heavy loads.